The stock market today heads into three days of heavy economic news. Investors will be tuned to the release of minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee's Dec. 18 meeting, set for 2 p.m. ET this afternoon. The Federal Reserve also plans to deliver November consumer credit numbers at 3 p.m.

On Thursday's calendar are weekly jobless claims and the Challenger Job Cuts report for December, followed by December payroll and unemployment rate news on Friday.

Private employers added 238,000 new jobs in December, the highest monthly job increase in 2013 according to the ADP National Employment Report.

The number was 4% above November's upwardly revised tally and well above economists' consensus forecasts for 205,000 new jobs. Businesses with fewer than 49 employees accounted for 45% of the hiring. Businesses with 500 or more workers accounted for 30% of the month's new hires.

Micron Technology (MU) snapped up 10% in premarket action. The sensor and flash memory maker late Tuesday reported a huge fiscal Q1 beat in both sales and earnings, with results boosted by Micron's July acquisition of Tokyo-based Elpida. Gross margins jumped to 32% from 25%, and the company ended the quarter with $4.41 billion cash.

Micron shares ended Tuesday in buying range on a rebound from 10-week support.

Twitter (TWTR) slumped 4%, after Cantor Fitzgerald trimmed its rating to sell from hold. The note cited the stock's valuation, and kept its $32 price target.

Twitter has pulled back 18%, through Tuesday, from its Dec. 26 high. It closed 136% above its Nov. 7 IPO price.

European stocks carried mild losses into midday trade, despite data showing a surprise surge in November retail sales across the eurozone.

China's major indexes marked a mixed session. In Japan, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 leapt 1.9%, urged on by strong sessions in the U.S. and Europe. Tokyo's other leading index, the TOPIX, rose 1.8% and closed at its highest level since July 2008.

The dollar gained against both the euro and the yen. Oil nosed up a few pennies, but remained below $93 a barrel. Natural gas added a nickel to trade at $4.35 per million British thermal units, 1% above Friday's settle. Gold eased to near $1,227 an ounce, down not quite 1% since Friday.

The stock market today heads into three days of heavy economic news. Investors will be tuned to the release of minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee's Dec. 18 meeting, set for 2 p.m. ET this afternoon. The Federal Reserve also plans to deliver November consumer credit numbers at 3 p.m.

On Thursday's calendar are weekly jobless claims and the Challenger Job Cuts report for December, followed by December payroll and unemployment rate news on Friday.

Private employers added 238,000 new jobs in December, the highest monthly job increase in 2013 according to the ADP National Employment Report.

The number was 4% above November's upwardly revised tally and well above economists' consensus forecasts for 205,000 new jobs. Businesses with fewer than 49 employees accounted for 45% of the hiring. Businesses with 500 or more workers accounted for 30% of the month's new hires.

Micron Technology (MU) snapped up 10% in premarket action. The sensor and flash memory maker late Tuesday reported a huge fiscal Q1 beat in both sales and earnings, with results boosted by Micron's July acquisition of Tokyo-based Elpida. Gross margins jumped to 32% from 25%, and the company ended the quarter with $4.41 billion cash.

Micron shares ended Tuesday in buying range on a rebound from 10-week support.

Twitter (TWTR) slumped 4%, after Cantor Fitzgerald trimmed its rating to sell from hold. The note cited the stock's valuation, and kept its $32 price target.

Twitter has pulled back 18%, through Tuesday, from its Dec. 26 high. It closed 136% above its Nov. 7 IPO price.

European stocks carried mild losses into midday trade, despite data showing a surprise surge in November retail sales across the eurozone.

China's major indexes marked a mixed session. In Japan, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 leapt 1.9%, urged on by strong sessions in the U.S. and Europe. Tokyo's other leading index, the TOPIX, rose 1.8% and closed at its highest level since July 2008.

The dollar gained against both the euro and the yen. Oil nosed up a few pennies, but remained below $93 a barrel. Natural gas added a nickel to trade at $4.35 per million British thermal units, 1% above Friday's settle. Gold eased to near $1,227 an ounce, down not quite 1% since Friday.

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03/02/2015 03:04 PM ET

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